Coaster



0. P. YHIERWICK.

COASTER. APPLIcAnoN FILED MAR .16, 1920.

1,362,865, Patented Deo. 1, 1920.

..........IIIIIIHUN minimi@ UNTED STATES rarest ortica.

OWEN PETERSON HERWICK, 0F PORTLAND, (JIREGrONu construis.

To all whom 'it may concern:

it known that I, OWEN PnrunsoN HER- wIcK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at No. 1025 South Jersey street, St. Johns, city ofPortland, county of Multnomah, and State of Oregon, have invented a newand useful Coaster, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates in general to coasters, or so-called skipmobiles,and has reference more particularly to propelling or traction means forthis general class of vehicles. A

As heretofore employed these coasters and the like, which have recentlybecome prominent as a childs toy, have usually relied on the manipulatorto furnish the traction necessary by placing one foot on the coaster andusing the other foot to impart the necessary push to the same. Whilethis manner of manipulation has proven sufficient as a propelling force,the constantsliding of contact of the manipulators foot on the groundsurface over which the coaster traverses very soon wears out his shoeand for this reason makes the use of coaster undesirable. Then, again,aside from these disadvantages, the pleasure experienced in using acoaster without some mode of self traction takes away some of thepleasure which is present in a mechanically propelled coaster.

According to the present invention, it is proposed to equip or provide acoaster or the like, such as a skipmobile with a mechanical propellingor traction inducing device which will overcome the above mentioneddisadvantages and at the same time provide a novel manner of operationor manipulation.

ln the accompany drawing which illustrates one form of the invention:

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the application of the idea;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line SMS, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the skid or` shoe which is used as apropelling means and F ig. 5 is a plan view of the rear wheels androllers showing the manner of supportino the coaster frame thereon. l

Tiefering now to the drawing in detail, the coaster or skipmobile may beconstructed in any desirable l'manner and for the sake of economy aswell as other commercial rea- Specification of Letters Patent. PatentedDe@ 21, 1920 Application filed March 16, 1920.

Serial No. 366,234.

sons should comprise a horizontal frame 1 relatively narrow in'transverse section and sufficiently long to meetrequirements.

This frame will be equipped with rear wheels or rollers such as 2 havingan axle 3 with a yoke or the like 4: mounted thereon and adapted toiixedly support the rear end of the frame 1.

The front of thel frame 1 should be provided with a convenient-means,such as the sleeve 5, adapted to receive the spindle or shaft of theyoke which is provided with oppositely spaced bearings 7 providing avmounting for the axle 8 of the front or steering wheel 9. f' The spindleor shaft of the yoke 6 terminating in the bifurcated end 10 is made toreceive and confine by a pivotal connection the end of the steeringcolumn 11 vlvgiich is constructed with handle lbars such as n.

The construction of the coaster so far is more or less conventional andas now used the operator or manipulator usually rests one foot at aconvenient location on the frame 1 and uses the other foot as apropelling medium.

According to the form of invention illustrated, the operator will asheretofore mentioned place one foot on the frame 1 preferably a forwardlocation where his toe will abut against the upwardly extending toebearing 13 and insert his other foot through the strap 14 which togetherwith the instep block 15 and the oppositely disposed horizontal ends 16of the frog 17, will provide a stirrup. The frog 17 is preferablyconstructed of two pieces of sheet metal with its lowermost ends bentoutwardly as are the ends 16 to provide maintaining iianges' 18 for theshoe or skid 19. The frame 1 is provided with a relatively long slot 20which extends along a medial line of the coaster from a point adjacentthe rear axle 3 to a point slightly forward of the middle of the frame.This slot is made to receive the web portion 21 of the frog 17 so thatthe shoe or skid19 is mounted free to slide longitudinally of thecoaster. In order to normally maintain the skid or shoe 19 out ofengagement with the surface over which the coaster traverses a spring 22is provided on each side of the web 21 and so arranged that itsrespective ends will contact with the frame 1 on opposite sides of theslot 2 and with its middle red to the underside of the ends 16. rThecurvature of each ofthese springs is such as to lift the skid 19 off theground, but the influence of the same may be overcome when themanipulator with his one foot in the stirrup supports his weight on thisfoot and imparts a downward thrust on the skid or shoe. The moment hisweight is released the tendency of the springs 22 is to lift the shoe19.

In operation when the weight of the manipulator is imposed on thesupport for the shoe or skid 19 the same will contact the ground surfaceand by imparting a rear'- ward push to the shoe, when thus, contactingwith the ground surface, the coaster will be propelled forward and the.moment the skid vreaches its limit of rearward movement, the manipulatorwill then release the compression onv the springs permitting them`toflift the skid and enablethe'same tobe brought forward to the limitof its: forward movement inthe. slot where the; operation may berepeated.y

which the coaster was traversing and act as a brake skid.

l claim:

1. A coaster, including a wheeled frame, a longitudinal slot in saidframe, a shoe hung below said slot having a web portion which extendsthrough said slot, a foot engaging means mounted to said web portionabove said slot, and spring means associated with said foot engagingmeans for normally maintaining the said shoe out of contact with theground surface but adapted to be overcome by the foot of the operatorfor moving the shoe rearward of the coaster in contact with the groundsurface.

2. A coaster including a wheeled frame with steering means, alongitudinal slot in said frame and propelling means adapted to slideback and forth in said slot, comprising, a shoe hung below the frame andparallel therewith', a web portionconnected to the shoe and extendingthrough said slot with a foot engaging means on the end thereof,

and leaf springs arranged between the foot engaging means and bearingupon the frame on opposite sides of the slot, said springy adapted tonormally maintain the shoe out of contact with the ground surface, butca-` pablefof permitting the foot. of the operator to move. the'shoe incontact with the ground surface. and rearward of the coaster for im?parting a push to the coaster.

OWEN PETERSON HERWICK.

